Three extensions on the way at Oswestry's Derwen College

Oswestry's Derwen College, which is a well established residential college for students with learning difficulties and disabilities submitted the plans to Shropshire Council.

The application is made up of alterations to the existing sports facilities, including the re-roofing and the existing swimming pool building, forming of a new entrance reception, forming a new link to the gymnasium extension, existing sports hall, changing facilities and new hydrotherapy facilities.

The application is split into three separate extensions.

The largest building is the sports hall which building which is constructed of concrete blocks walls and is connected to the changing rooms by a narrow link building.

The link would be replaced with a larger link building to provide a formal reception area serving the sports hall, pools and the new gym suite.

The planning officer said: “The proposed extension would sit comfortably alongside the other existing buildings.”

A proposed hydro pool building with associated treatment rooms and changing rooms would be contained in a new building.

It would be built on an area of grass land immediately adjacent to one of the car parks and the land has no benefit in terms of recreation or amenity land.

The planning officer added: “The proposed buildings are in the heart of the college complex with little opportunity for the building to be visible from the surrounding land.

“The exception to this is a public footpath which runs to the south of the site but through land also owned by the college.

“Views of the buildings would be possible but they are heavily filtered by the existing mature tree planting to the south.”

The planning concluded that the application should be passed, adding: “The proposed glasshouse would contribute to the continued use and enhancement of the facilities available in the college and is considered to be acceptable in terms of scale and design.

“There are no significant implications in terms of drainage or landscaping.”

“The application therefore accords the relevant development plan policies.”

A total of £50,000 has been raised for phase one of the project and phase two fundraising will begin in the new year.

CEO Meryl Green said: “We are delighted with the amazing efforts of all our supporters who have been fundraising this year achieving the £50,000 target to replace the heating system in the swimming pool on site here.

“This work will begin in early 2018 and is phase one of the sports facilities project. During 2018 our fundraising will target phase 2. The project, there is no set start date for this phase of the work. Our work here is continually based around the needs of the students and this includes the proposed updates to the sports facilities.”